Repealing “don’t ask, don’t tell” will likely be included as part of next year’s Department of Defense authorization bill in both chambers of Congress, Congressman Barney Frank (D-Mass.) said Wednesday.

“Military issues are always done as part of the overall authorization bill,” Frank said, insisting that this has been the strategy for overturning the policy all along. “'Don’t ask, don’t tell' was always going to be part of the military authorization.”

Frank said he has been in direct communication with the White House, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office, and other Congressional leaders about the strategy for ending the 1993 ban on gays serving openly in the military.

Though some moderate Democrats have recently expressed concern about repealing the policy during a midterm election year, Frank said resolve at the White House has never wavered. “The Administration is totally committed to this and has been from the beginning,” he said.

Also, this great behind-the-scenes nugget:

Anecdotally, Frank recalled an incident earlier this year when Defense Secretary Robert Gates made a statement to reporters suggesting that repeal was still an open question.

“There was a point where Gates said, ‘If we repeal "don’t ask, don’t tell,"’ — and the next day he said, ‘When we repeal "don’t ask, don’t tell,"’” said Frank. “That’s because Rahm called him up. The White House has been consistently committed.”

I will probably cry in private when that day comes. It will be so overwhelming to feel free. I would also suggest to other GLBT in the military to be careful and expect some push back with comments and jokes from those against it. It will be an opportunity to educate, not to chastise, unless it gets elevated to that.

coolarmydude saidI will probably cry in private when that day comes. It will be so overwhelming to feel free. I would also suggest to other GLBT in the military to be careful and expect some push back with comments and jokes from those against it. It will be an opportunity to educate, not to chastise, unless it gets elevated to that.

You make a great point. When the (cowardly) shooter went off at Fort Hood, we immediately learned about harassment for his ethnicity/religion, despite all the legal protections and religious equality he had as a citizen. I have no doubt some harassment of gays might be escalated (in the name of "good fun" or "razzing"), and I worry about the stress that might produce for those newly out and serving.

This is great news !!! I believe its going to happen too, one reason I am so convinced is the old school bigots 50 and up are on their way out of control of things. once those old bigots are out of the way a lot more will change too. It won't be so popular to harass gay men in the military.